The Africa International Biotechnology and Biomedical Conference (AIBBC) Workshop 2021, held from November 8th to 10th, was a highly successful event featuring six impactful workshop courses. Organized by Dr. Eddy Odari (JKUAT, Kenya), Dr. Lucy Ochola (Institute of Primate Research, Kenya), Prof. Collins Ouma (Maseno University, Kenya), Dr. Kennedy Okeyo (Kyoto University, Japan), and Prof. Paul Robinson (Purdue University), the workshop provided participants with hands-on training in advanced biomedical technologies, lectures, and practicals.
Workshop Structure: The workshop encompassed lectures, practical sessions, and labs for hands-on training. The venues included the workshop lectures held at the venue hotel and labs for hands-on training at Maseno University Town Campus (Labs of Prof. Collins Ouma and Dr. Benson Nyambega) and USAMRU-K Kisumu Field Station.
Courses Offered: AIBBC 2021 presented six highly educational workshop courses, allowing participants to choose three based on their preferences. The courses covered a broad range of topics in diagnostics, biotechnology, life sciences, and infectious diseases.
Flow Cytometry: Understanding & Applications
- Instructors: Prof. J. Paul Robinson (Purdue University, USA), Dr. Heather Paich (Agilent Technologies, Inc. USA), Dr. Lucy Ochola (Institute for Primate Research, Kenya)
- Capacity: 25 participants
Point-of-care Diagnostics for Resource-limited Settings
- Instructors: Prof. Aman Russom (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden), Prof. Tamara Kinzer-Ursen, Prof. Linnes Jacqueline, Dr. Melinda Lake, MSc. Martin Wekesa Sifunah (Chiba University, Japan)
- Capacity: 25 participants
Molecular Diagnostics
- Instructors: Prof. Masood Kamali-Moghaddam, Dr. Radiosa Gallini (Uppsala University, Sweden), MSc. David Mwaura (Primate Research Institute, Kenya)
- Capacity: 25 participants
New Insights into HIV and Covid-19 Infections
- Instructors: Prof. Elizabeth Bukusi (Kenya Medical Research Institute, KEMRI), Prof. Andrea Cossarizza, Prof. Guido Poli, Dr. Eddy Odari, Dr. Isabel Pagani (Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Italy)
- Capacity: 25 participants
Malaria Control and Elimination Workshop
- Instructors: Prof. Akira Kaneko, Prof. Tomoya Matsumoto, Dr. Evariste Tshibangu-Kabamba, Dr. Masaru Nagashima, Dr. Wataru Kagaya, Dr. Makoto Nishi, Dr. Akinori Hamada, Dr. Jesse Gitaka (Mount Kenya University, Kenya)
- Capacity: Not specified
Genomics and Bioinformatics
- Instructors: Prof. Daniela Maria Cirillo, Dr. Andrea Cabibbe, Dr. Steven Nyanjom, Mr. Kimita Gathii (USAMRU-Kisumu, Kenya)
- Capacity: 15 participants
Workshop Highlights:
- Participants engaged in practical sessions, including wet lab experiments and data analysis, enhancing their skills in various biomedical technologies.
- Each course had distinguished instructors with expertise in their respective fields, providing valuable insights and knowledge to the participants.
- The Malaria Control and Elimination Workshop, a new addition, focused on multidisciplinary approaches and featured sessions on epidemiology, entomology, diagnostics, genomics, economics, and cultural anthropology related to malaria.
Conclusion: The AIBBC 2021 Workshop was a comprehensive and enriching experience, offering participants a platform to delve into the latest advancements in biomedical sciences and diagnostics. The combination of lectures, hands-on training, and diverse course offerings contributed to the success of the workshop, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange among participants and instructors.
